UK and Germany Collaborate to Advance Quantum Supercomputing
The UK and Germany have announced plans to integrate their science sectors to speed up the commercialization of quantum supercomputing technology. This collaboration, revealed during the German president’s state visit, aims to bridge the gap between research and practical applications in computing, sensing, and timing.
Funding and Joint Initiatives
The partnership includes dedicated funding to accelerate product development and establish shared operating standards. Economic projections indicate that quantum technology could contribute £11 billion to the UK’s GDP by 2045 and create over 100,000 jobs.
To kick‑start this initiative, a £6 million joint research and development funding call will be launched in early 2026. Innovate UK and Germany’s VDI will each contribute £3 million to help businesses bring new products to market, rather than focusing solely on academic research.
Supply‑Chain Strengthening
One of the challenges in this field is the maturity of the supply chain. To address this, an £8 million investment will be made in the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow, which will enhance the development of applied photonics, a crucial component for commercial quantum sensing.
Regulatory Harmonisation
Regulatory fragmentation often hinders adoption. To tackle this, a new Memorandum of Understanding between the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Germany’s Physikalisch‑Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) aims to harmonise measurement standards. This agreement complements the global NMI‑Q initiative to develop shared norms.
Ministerial Emphasis
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance emphasized the importance of international collaboration in unlocking the benefits of quantum technology, which could revolutionise fields such as cybersecurity, drug discovery, and medical imaging.
Practical Applications
In practical terms, these advances could help pharmaceutical companies identify new medicines more quickly and lead to the development of next‑generation sensors for medical scanners that are more affordable, portable, and accurate than current models.
High‑Performance Computing (HPC) Collaboration
The UK’s National Supercomputing Centre at the University of Edinburgh has been selected to host the UK’s AI Factory Antenna, which will partner with the HammerHAI AI Factory in Stuttgart.
To support the integration of HPC before the commercialisation of quantum supercomputing technology, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is allocating up to £3.9 million to match‑fund UK participation in three open EuroHPC calls. This funding will assist teams developing exascale and AI‑ready software.
Aerospace Funding
In the aerospace sector, the two nations have committed joint funding of over €6 billion to the European Space Agency, including €1 billion for launch programmes and €10 million for Rocket Factory Augsburg, which plans to launch from Scotland in 2026.
Closing Remarks
German President Frank‑Walter Steinmeier concluded his visit at Siemens Healthineers in Oxford, a site that produces superconducting magnets for MRI scanners, highlighting an existing example of bilateral science ties supporting high‑skilled manufacturing and health outcomes.
As this collaboration deepens, the integrated approach between the UK and Germany toward supercomputing and quantum infrastructure aims to provide enterprises with a powerful foundation for scaling high‑performance workloads across Europe.
